Razer Basilisk Review – Clutching Change

I certainly have never seen a basilisk in real life. I have seen many of them in different games I’ve played and they have all had unique differences.

So I guess it should be no surprise when the first basilisk I see in real life is not a scaled monster of legend, but instead the latest mouse from the folks over at Razer. The Razer Basilisk promises to be the world’s most advanced FPS gaming mouse. With a 16,000 DPI sensor, adjustable scroll wheel resistance, and the DPI clutch, Razer plans to bring everything that an FPS gamer might need.

Razer Basilisk – Image Credit: CGMagazine

Before we dive into what makes the Razer Basilisk tick, let’s talk about how it looks. Unlike their signature DeathAdder that features a low profile ergonomic design, the Basilisk instead goes for a larger design. I am a right-handed person so the Basilisk was designed with me in mind. However, if you are left-handed, the design of the Basilisk would not be comfortable for you in the slightest. While Razer has released left-handed versions of its DeathAdder and the Naga, only time and sales will tell if they release a version for the Basilisk. The largest difference in design for the Basilisk is the inclusion of the thumb rest of the left side of the mouse. The thumb rest is probably the highlight of the mouse for me. Being no stranger to using a large mouse—I used a Razer Naga for a number of years— the inclusion of the thumb rest provided even more space to comfortably rest my hand.

Alongside the thumb rest is the Basilisk’s clutch button. Razer provides users with two different sizes for the button or even a plastic cap should you decide that you don’t want to use the clutch button. I opted for the smaller sized button as I didn’t find myself using the clutch all that often.

Razer Basilisk – Image Credit: CGMagazine

What the clutch button does is allow you to change your DPI setting on the fly without needing to open a program. While there have been similar mice that allow you to change DPI with a button, none of them have integrated that feature as well as Razer has. The clutch provides ample physical feedback if I’ve engaged it so I never had to rely solely on mouse movement to figure out if I’ve lowered the DPI or not. Using the clutch in practice proved to me that this feature can really come in handy during intense firefights in games such as Overwatch or Quake Champions. Outside of games like that, I never found myself needed to adjust the DPI on the fly. When needed, the clutch is a welcome addition and will be a great tool to include in any FPS gamer’s arsenal.

The other feature of the Razer Basilisk that I really enjoyed was the addition of the customizable scroll wheel resistance. Sometimes I enjoy just having the scroll wheel spin when I use it and other times I like having a bit of a tighter rein on the wheel. Whatever my preference, the inclusion of the ability to adjust the resistance is a welcome one.

Outside of the new features that the Razer Basilisk brings to the table, it is still a reliable gaming mouse. It has two thumb buttons beside the clutch, a left and right button, the aforementioned scroll wheel and two more buttons stacked just beneath the scroll wheel.

Razer Basilisk – Image Credit: CGMagazine

As always with Razer, the Basilisk includes Chroma technology. There isn’t much to say here as the Chroma only shines through the logo on the base of the mouse and under the scroll wheel. Most times while in use you won’t notice the Chroma but when you sit back and just enjoy it, the Chroma lighting functions as well as it normally does with Razer products.

At the end of the day, more options are always a good thing. Much like how I could use a rock to hammer a nail, I’d still prefer to grab a hammer. In the same way, much like how any mouse can be used for FPS gaming, if there’s a better tool designed for it, why wouldn’t I use it? For anyone serious about their FPS gaming, the Razer Basilisk is an easy recommendation.

Liked this article and want to read more like it? Check out more of Jesse Cabral’s reviews such as Absolver and Castle Story!